What history books are you currently reading or have recenly read?

[SKILORD]

The American Revolution by Gordon S. Wood. An O.K. Chrionicle off the period, at least it encompasses more than just the battles, and goes on to fill in details about the politics. I grow weary of the Modern Library Chronicle books though, make me feel like a kid.

The Black Book of Communism: This book is damn big, but good. It's the last of my present readings on Communism (It follows the works of R. Pipes, The Gulag Archipelligo and of course Solidarity: The Polish Revolution by Timothy G. Ash [was essential to my AP Euro Exam last year])

Look Away: A History of the Confederate States of America by William C. Davis. An Excellent book which I would reccomend for anyone interested in the Civil War. Focuses on the Politics and the infighting that destroyed the C.S.A. rather than the war.

All of those, in addition to The Glass Bead Game and The Once and Future King*, I have a huuuge stack of History Books that I jhave to read later, by the way. These are just my current ones.


*-Not my Choice, assigned by my English Teacher.

[molly bloom]

India: A Mosaic, edited by Robert Silvers and Barbara Epstein. Looks at partition, the growth of religious separatism in Indian politics, women's rights and literature, and nuclear proliferation in the Indian sub-continent.

Clash of East and West: The Rise and Fall of Empires

Daisy More and John Bowman. Deals with the rise of the Iranian/Persian empires (and touches briefly on the beginnings of civilization on the Iranian plateau, and precursors of the Iranians, such as the Medes) and with the rise to glory of Imperial Greece, looking at the development of the city states, Theban, Spartan and Athenian ascendancies, and the difference in political outlooks between the Iranian culture and the Greek culture.

Ancient Civilizations: Great Empires at their Heights

Timothy R. Roberts

Rounds up the usual suspects, albeit with an emphasis on the Mediterranean/Fertile Crescent, and investigates what causes a great empire to collapse- in the case of Assyria, alienating all your neighbours doesn't bode well for longevity.

First Things First: A Connoisseur's Companion to Breakfast

Ralph Pomeroy

The most important meal of the day, and frequently the least regarded, the most hurried. A survey of who ate what when, and who eats what and where, now.
For instance: Elizabeth Woodville (queen of Edward IV) at 6.00 a.m. on May 10th 1451 breakfasted on overboiled buttock of beef and ale turned a little stale. She reminded herself to address the cook over the former, and to meet the second fault herself, by tapping a new barrel.

In Tudor times, breakfast for a workman could consist of bread (made from a mixture of oat and rye) salted or pickled herrings, cold cuts of meat, pottage, a soup or stew, cheese and ale. Usually eaten at 6.00 or 7.00 a.m.

Tasty.

[ixnay]

Well, if alternate history counts, I'm reading Harry Turtledove's Worldwar series right now.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Well, I haven't been reading it too much lately, because of law school reading and such:

The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract by Bill James

What? That's history .

[MrFun]

Originally posted by SKILORD


Look Away: A History of the Confederate States of America by William C. Davis. An Excellent book which I would reccomend for anyone interested in the Civil War. Focuses on the Politics and the infighting that destroyed the C.S.A. rather than the war.

I own that book as part of my personal library.

[Kropotkin]

Samuel Rosenberg "American Economic Development since 1945"

[Ecthy]

I ordered HOTW and GGS

[Az]

Samuel Huntington's 'The Clash of Civilizations'

[Ecthy]

Az

You'll find it's only of average intellectual quality anyway, and flawed in its logic, especially concerning China...

[Az]

It's logic is NOT flawed, though it's prediction of events is. But so far, events have been happening according to his logic, more or less.

[Ecthy]

Heh, apparently you haven't been at the point with Chinese influence in SE Asia. It IS flawed.

[Drake Tungsten]

??????????????????????

[Drake Tungsten]

Heh, apparently you haven't been at the point with Chinese influence in SE Asia. It IS flawed.

I didn't find it flawed. Has been a while since I read it, however, so I may forgetting things.

[Ecthy]

How exactly do ethnic Chinese businesspeople in SE Asia help the RED Chinese state expand into that area?

[Drake Tungsten]

I don't think he claimed the Chinese state would be spreading into Southeast Asia, apart from islands in the South China Sea like the Spratleys and the Paracels. He claimed Chinese influence would spread, with the countries in the region increasingly looking toward Beijing for leadership. Having ethnic Chinese in dominant positions in many of these countries would certainly help spread Chinese influence. It's already happening.